Ramana Maharishi:~ To whom is the illusion? Find it out then illusion will vanish.+

So many centuries have passed since Sage Sankara appeared, yet it is very hard to find his true wisdom understood anywhere in the world today. It is because so few could rise to his level. Hence, the Bhakti Saints and others came to supply the common demand.

Sage Sankara's wisdom  has two aspects: the dualistic perspective and the non-dualistic perspective.

Sage Sankara gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the populace but the Advaitic wisdom only to the few who could rise to it. Hence,  the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus, they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.

Q: ~ “What is an illusion"?

Ramana Maharishi:~ To whom is the illusion? Find it out, and then the illusion will vanish. Generally, people want to know about illusion and do not examine who it is. It is foolish. The illusion is outside and unknown.

 But

Ramana Maharishi:~ The seeker is considered to be known and is inside. Find out what is immediate, intimate, instead of trying to find out what is distant and unknown.” ~ Talks with Ramana Maharishi: On Realizing Abiding Peace and Happiness.

But  Remember 

Santthosh Kumaar: ~ The 'I' itself is the dualistic illusion. The dualistic illusion is present in the form of the world in which you exist. When the Self is not the form, then the question to whom does not arise.  A Deeper self-search reveals the fact that the ‘I’ itself is an illusion.  If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then it is no use in inquiring ‘Who Am I?. Till one holds the ‘I’ as the Self, the Soul, the innermost self is caught up in the prison of the dualistic illusion.  

Sage Sankara:~  VC-63- "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

Deeper Self-search reveals the fact that by inquiring the Who Am I? the wisdom will not dawn. Who Am I? - inquiry is only for beginners and it is inadequate and useless in the later stages.

That is why Sage Sankara: ~ VC~.61~ For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

VC-  v6~ Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together.

Sage Sankara goes on to say: ~A sickness of not cured by saying the word “medicine.” You must take the medicine. Liberation does not come by merely saying the word “Brahman.” Brahman must be experienced. Until you allow this apparent universe to dissolve from your consciousness until you have realized Brahman, how can you find liberation just by saying the word Brahman? The result is merely noise. Until a man has destroyed his enemies and taken possession of the splendor and wealth of the kingdom, he cannot become a king by simply saying “I am a king.”

A buried treasure is not uncovered by merely uttering the words: “Come forth.” You must follow the right directions, dig, remove the stones and earth from above it, and then make it,  your own. In the same way, the pure truth of the Atman, which is buried under Maya and the effects of Maya, can be reached by meditation, and contemplation, but never by subtle arguments. 

Remember:~

Thinker, thoughts, and the world in which the thinker exists have nothing to do with the Soul, the Self, which is hidden by ignorance.

Those who think by inquiring to whom the thoughts come, they will not be able to realize the ‘Self’ because they are thinking the ‘Self is within their body. The ‘Self’ is not within the body but it is hidden by the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya.

Thoughts and thinker and the world the thinker exists belongs to the dualistic illusion. Without form, time, and space the thoughts will not form. Thoughts come to the thinker. The thinker is an individual whereas the ‘Self is not an individual. The source of the thoughts is the ego.

Without the ego, the thoughts will not arise. Thoughts and thinker and the world the thinker exists is nothing to do with the Soul, the ‘Self, which is hidden by the dualistic illusion (I).

You are the thinker. The thoughts come to you. You are bound by form, time, and space whereas The Soul, the Self is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The thoughts will not rise in the domain of the Soul, the ‘Self’ because it is the ever-formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.

The thoughts come to the thinker within the universe, which is the dualistic illusion or Maya. Without the dualistic illusion or Maya the thinker, thoughts, and the world in which the thinker exists cease to exist.

Therefore, just by finding out to whom the thoughts come? Who is the knower? it is impossible to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. A perfect understanding of ‘what is what' is what is very much necessary to cross the threshold of the dualistic illusion. :~Santthosh Kumaar